1. encounter: a face-to-face meeting or encounter, especially a challenging or hostile one
2. international relations hostility without warfare: hostility between nations stopping short of actual warfare, though probably involving armed forces
3. conflict between ideas or people: conflict between ideas, beliefs, or opinions, or between the people who hold them This country is headed for a confrontation over the exploitation of natural resources.
4. comparison or opposition: a comparison or contrast between parts that have been brought together into a whole Her sculpture is a superb confrontation of traditional and modern elements.
